Draw-bar coupling



L. G. WALKER. DRAW BAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED DEC-24.1917.

1,335,21 1-.' Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

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,4 TTOR/Vf V WITNESSES:

LUTHER G. WALKER, F PUEBLO, COLORADO.

DRAW-ism courtme.

To all whom it may conce ve: I

Be it known that I, LUTHER G. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pueblo, in'the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, haveinvented a certain new and useful Im rovement in Draw- Bar Couplings, of whic the'following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention is an improvement in draw bar couplers and relates to a device of that character particularly adapted for use on automobiles, trucks and other road vehicles, and mine cars. The prmclpal objects ofthe invention are the PI'OV1S10I1 of a draw bar coupler which shall be capable of permitting universal movement (within the requisite limits) between the draw bar and its socket, which shall be capable of automatic closin of its jaws to grasp the draw bar, and whlch will remain in locked position until manually operated to free the draw bar. Other and more particular object'sand advantages of my inventionwill later appear from this specification.

In the single sheet of drawings accompanying this application and forming a part Figure 1 is a plan view of my coupler as attached to the rear frame member of an automobile and showing the coupler in closed position grasping the end of a draw bar" g Fig. 2 is a partial plan view and partial horizontal section through my device in open 1 or uncoupled position and I showing the draw bar removed from th e'coupler jaws;.

parts in the several views, let 1 indicate a pair of cooperative jaws, each mounted on a Vertical pivot pin'8 and recessed to conjointly form a socket of preferably spherical form. ,These jaws are adapted to receive and inclose the spherical head 2 of a coupling member 5 and each jaw .is provided with an extension or wing 13 which projects forward beyond the pivot pin of the jaw. The wings have opposed contact faces which when the jaws are closed upon Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 24, 1917. Serial No. 208,587.

direction due to the recess 7 Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

a coizipling member. exten convergingly with relation to each other. The lips of the jaws 1 are cut away as shown in t e drawings so as to prpvide for a freely 'swinging movement of the draw bar 5 1n any direction between the. limits indicated by the dotted lines 6.

The aws 1 are mounted between a pair of horizontal lates 7, the ivot pins 8 passlng throug the jaws and the plates 7 and being secured in place by nuts or the like. The with'flanges at right angles thereto through WhlCh may be assed bolts 21 for securing the plates to t towing vehicle and the plates 7 are preferably held the proper distance apart by the spacing plates 7. A shaft 7 having a head 7 projects through the plate 7 and has a limited movement in a longitudinal in the plate 7 1n whlch 1ts head is received. At its op 0- site extremity the shaft 7 carries rigidly secured thereto the head 9 which has an exposed abutment face spherically hollowed out on substantially the same radius as the.

placed between them,

plates 7- are preferably provided e frame member 20 of the inner face of the jaws 1. Behind the head 9the jaws 1 are recessed at 10 in a degree suflicient to receive the head 9 when the jaws are closed, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. '1 and 3. The recesses 10 terminate in shoulders 11-which,'as shown in Fig.2, are in the path of the head 9 when the jaws are open \but coincide with its rear curvature when the jaws are closed.

Mounted to move longitudinally with relation to the shaft is a locking member .3 which when the jaws-are openis yieldingly held in frictional engagement with the ends of their wings by a spring 1 1 compressed between the mem frame of the draw head.

The member is preferably of annular from and slidably mounted on the shaft and it is adapted to engage and move longitudinally of the faces of the wings on the jaws when by the impact of a coupling member entering the. space between the jaws, upon the abutment head 9, the jaws are caused to move about their pivots and separate the ends of their respective wings from thecou or and a shoulder on the pling member with which they were in contact. A weaker spring 15 is mounted on the shaft between the locking ring 3 and the head 9. A lever 16, ivoted on a pin 17 carried by the plates 7 1s connected at 18 a to the locking ring 3.and at its opposite end to an operating lever 19 which may be extended forwardly to a position convenient for operation by the vehlcle driver.

Operation.

'- tion and finally engage the substantially parallel but slightly diverging1 surfaces 4; of.

the wings. In this position closed around the draw bar head and they will be firmly locked and wedged in such position until the ring 3 is retracted.

By reason of the converging pos tion of the faces on the inner sides of the wlngs on the jaws the locking ring urged by its constantly compressed s ring tends to separate the wings and there y close the jaws upon the coupling memberplaced between them.

Any play between the parts, resulting from wear is thus immediately taken up and the coupling head will always fit snugly within its socket on the draw head. When it is desired to uncouple the draw bar a ushing action on the rod19 will retract t e ring 3 against the action of the.

spring 14, free the ring from the wings 13 and permit either the bar to be withdrawn from its socket or the socket to be drawn ofi the bar; thus the coupler is left in position for re-coupling.

The combined action of the springs 14 and 15 tends always to hold the-head 9 against the head 2 and thus prevent rattling.

Havin thus described my invention, what I c aim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is Y 1. In a coupler, a pair of pivoted jaws, wings formed as a continuation of said jaws beyond their pivot points, a shaft, a head on said shaft within said jaws, and a springurged locking-member mounted to slide along said shaftbetween and in engagement with said wings.

2. In a coupler, a pair of pivoted jaws,

' wings formed as a continuation of said jaws beyond their pivot points, a shaft, a head on said shaft within said jaws, a springurged locking-member mounted to slide along said shaft between and in engagement withsaid wings, and means for retracting said member against the action of'its s ring. 3. In a coupler, a frame, a pair 0 jaws pivoted in said frame, an operating wing e jaws will be formed as an extension of each jaw beyond the pivot point thereof, a shaft extending longitudinal movement in said frame, a head rigidly mounted on said shaft and located between said jaws, a locking ring slidably mounted on said shaft in operative relation to said wings, a compression spring on said shaft between said ring and said frame, and manually operable means for retracting said ring against the action of said spring.

' 5. In a coupler, a frame, a pair of jaws pivoted in said frame, an operatin wing formed as an extension of each jaw Imyond the pivot point thereof, a shaft extendin between said wings and having a limite longitudinal movement in said frame. a headrigidly mounted on said shaft and located between said jaws, a locking ring slidably mounted on said shaft in operative relation to said wings, a compression spring mounted on said shaft between said head and said ring, anda stronger compression spring on said shaft between said ring and said frame.

6. -In a coupler, a frame, a pair of recessed jaws pivoted in said frame, an operating wing formed as an extension of each jaw beyond the pivot point thereof, a shaft extending between said wings and having a limited longitudinal movement in said frame, a head rigidly mounted on said shaft and located between said jaws, said head being adapted to be received within the recesses in said jaws when the j awsare closed,

shoulders on said jaws lying in the path of said head when said jaws are open but conforming to the inner curvature of the recesses when said jaws are closed, a locking ring slidablymounted on said shaft in operative relation to said wings, a spring tending to' force said ring between said wings, and means for retracting said ring against the action of said spring.

7 A cou(pling comprising cooperative jaws pivote to open or close together and having wing-extensions, a shaft between the extensions having a limited longitudinal movement, a head on the shaft disposed to be engaged by a coupling-member entering the space between the jaws and engaging the jaws to effect their pivotal closing movement, and a spring-urged locking-member engaging the ends of the extensions when the jaws are open and slidably mounted on the shaft to move between the extensions Ill) when the jaws close upon a coupling-member placed between them.

8. In a coupling, cooperative aws pivoted to open or close together and recessed to present conjointly a socket of substantially circular section, and a sliding abutment disposed to be engaged by a coupling-member entering the space between the jaws and engaging the jaws to effect their pivotal closing movement, the jaws having depressions to admit the abutment so as to form a continuation of the surface of the socket When the jaws are in the closed position.

9. In a coupling, cooperative jaws pivoted to open or close together, a movable abutment engaging the jaws in their open position to'force them together by the impact of a coupling-member, and a coupling-member having a head to enter the space between the jaws, the jaws and the abutment being formed to COIIJOlIItlYfIOVldG asocket which snugl fits the hea -when the jaws are close 10. In a coupling, cooperative jaws pivoted to open or close together, a movable abutment engaging the jaws in their open position to force them together by the impact of a coupling-member and a coupling memaflixed my signature.

LUTHER G. WALKER. 

